Dream Analysis

Kevin Spacey is a fine actor. I liked him very much in “The Usual Suspects” and “American Beauty”. I do not fear him. Thought I should mention that.

I’m also not particularly Jungian in any respect so while interpreting dreams can be a fun exercise in either the obvious or the oblique (as yesterday’s comments would attest), it is not something on which I spend much time.But until I wrote about it yesterday I had not given much thought to the recurring weeping motif in recent dreams. Once it was out there, however, it bore scrutiny.

I’ve decided that it is despair, with a soupcon of sadness.

Despair after 5 years of war and terror under an administration that lies with impunity, mocks and tramples on the Constitution and labels as “traitor” anyone who exercises his or her patriotic right to disagree with the government.

Despair that there are still Americans who think that all the spying and flawed Constitution-gutting legislation are in the service of huntin’ down them damn terrorists. Because, geez, people, no habeas corpus for them means no habeas corpus for you.

Despair that this Administration will not talk to nations it should be talking to.

Sadness that “The West Wing” is off the air. (I like “Studio 60” but it is no substitute for having a good president).

Despair that morality, the watchword of the GOP lo these many years, does not mean what they think it means.

Despair over the fundagelicals who believe the Rapture is an exit strategy.

Plus, to be honest with you, I’m a little frustrated with Democrats who complain that the the Democrats lack leadership and vision. Because, considering their minority party status, there have been plenty of both in the last years. When the Democrats call for reducing, for real, our dependence on foreign oil (and suggest the means by which it can be done), when they stand up to speak out and vote against bad judges, bad policies and bad laws, when they work to protect the environment and Social Security and my right to speak freely, when they try to defend the Constitution and protect the balance of powers, dude, that is vision and that is leadership. And if there were more of them in the House and Senate we wouldn’t be in the fracking mess we are and that’s just the plain truth.

While we’re at it, let’s throw in people who can’t be bothered to vote, especially the ones who say that it doesn’t matter because they are all crooks anyway. Because if the last 5 years have taught us anything it is that there are crooks and then there are crooks.

The Democratic Party isn't perfect. How could it be? But the Democrats are, historically, the party of the little guy, farmers and teachers and middle-age, middle-class Americans like myself who just want to have a little security, a little comfort and for my kid not to die in a misbegotten war. The Democrats are the party that protects the environment and the Bill of Rights and who believe in education and are willing to fund it. And I like that about the Democrats. And it is imperative that we stop the Bush administration from doing any more harm and start rectifying the mess he and his cronies have made. And there isn't a single Republican who can be counted on to do that.

Yep, I’m pretty sure all of that is why sometimes I find myself, deep in my dreams, crying and crying and crying. Because by day I’m Miss Perky Perkison, Possessor of the Half-full Glass, Defender of the Democratic Way, Believer in the power of Prayer and Faith and Hard Work. I go forth, preaching the gospel of hope and the importance of using one’s gifts, giving of time and treasure to make the world a better place, seeking goodwill and reconciliation among all those I meet. Really, pretty much, I do. But then I go to sleep and something inside me starts to worry that it might not be enough.

Which is all to say that it has nothing to do with Kevin Spacey.